As a real novice to this game im soaking in every bit of information and tips given!
Was told last night while spraying "just put washing up liquid in watering can and will kill everything"??
True or false? before I go ahead and try.
Always check on here first as all your advice has been great so far, Many thanks
janmac ???
I think you will find that normal washing up liquid may be too harsh......think you need to use a softer soap solution.
Not used this method myself but need to get my a** into gear to get some made....thats after I have asked one of my fellow plot holders the correct way of doing it.
People do use soap diluted in water to control aphids etc but there are a couple of points to note..
Washing up liquid is a detergent not a soap (well most are) - you'd be better off using pure soap flakes or horticultural soap..
Use to much and it will damage the leaves of plants - it will kill them if you use it in too high a concentration.
A couple of drops of liquid in a litre spayer will be fine but it is not a miracle cure all!
Dr Bronner's liquid soap is recommended for all sorts including the garden. You can get a lavender one so the bugs can die relaxed ;).
My mum told me about this, but she did say to use washing up liquid in water - it has been successful for me, but that's probably because it made me wash all the aphids off, rather than any chemical effects.
It doesnt kill them, it just makes it impossible for them to hang on and they get washed off.
They'll be back.
Very amusing, bugs dying happy and others hanging of for grim death..made me laugh. Thank you I needed a laugh right now.
XX Jeannine
Yes the soap solution is for aphids - I had heard that adding soap means that they get covered in a soapy film and so cannot breathe properly. It also prevents them from hanging on.
Washing up liquid does not kill plants. In 1976 not only was it hot but we had a hosepipe ban as well. I used the dirty washing up water for all sorts. I started off with some flowers but then the courgettes got it and really thrived on it.
We had serious problems with water that year the pressure had been reduced to a trickle and we were threatened with standpipes. Some areas had them already.
Digeroo
QuoteWashing up liquid does not kill plants.
that might depend on type washing up liquid.
some washing liquid are detergent and not soap.
if they former that can damage plants and cause other problems.
I don't think we thought about it at the time there were no alternative. I am sure we used Fairy liquid it was certainly detergent rather than soap. I am allergic to soap. Makes my hands very sore and itchy and upsets my nails. I always had sore hands until liquid detergents appeared on the market.
I can assure you that the threat of having to get all your water in buckets from a standpipe up the road makes you very frugal indeed. All the veg was watered with detergent.
I used to use Fairy Liquid years ago too, it was definately detergent and never did any harm to anything, I used to wash my rubber tree plants with it too.
"Hands that do dishes can be soft as your face, with brand new Fairy liquid"Anyone remember the TV ad!!
It was true too.Have to challenge you on that one plainleaf, sorry.
XX Jeannine
I've been using a solution of cooking oil and either fairy liquid or Dr Bronners (whichever came to hand first) and it's great on aphids and doesn't appear to have affected my giganda beans, broad beans or aubergines adversely at all... indeed if the giganda's get any bigger I'll be losing the lower part of the garden to the blockage... I wait until dusk (so the bees have gone to bed) and keep an eye out for ladybirds etc..... that said most of the issues seem to be with ants farming them so apart from on those three a concerted blitz on the ants has kept everything else clear, I seem to have a lot of hoverflies and lacewings in the polytunnel.... even the sacrificial nasturtiums next to the beans are uninfested.....::)
chrisc